My recipes assume you use the right ingredients. Which eggs are acceptable, which chocolate is dark enough, which meat is fair game, etc? So here are some rules to live by when it comes to lectin-friendly foods.
Refer to this guide from time to time until you have it down. Lectins are hiding everywhere. So, remember the game plan — consume the least amount of lectins possible. Here's how:
Print Dr. Gundry's "Yes" List
The "Yes" list is going to be your Bible for a while until you really understand what lectins are and where they're hiding. It's not a comprehensive list by any means, but it's a great guide to get you started. From the list you can deduce many other foods that are probably low in lectins and safe to eat.
Source Your Own Meat
You can find a limited amount of "Yes" meats at the grocery store. However, if you want real variety, shop online. Dozens of ranchers exist across the county who understand the importance of pastured or forested meat. Many of them will sell meat directly to you. Grassland is a favorite of mine because they have an e-commerce site that acts as your own personal butcher shop. They have an array of pastured and wild meats including beef, lamb, pork, poultry, bison, seafood and even grass-fed dairy with a nice selection of sausages, bacon, and more. Shop their sale page for real bargains.
Grow Your Own
You may come to find that growing your own is the best way to ensure your ingredients are LFG as you want them (and to save money).
Eggs are one of those ingredients that I don't trust from the grocer. Even if they are free-range, the chickens that lay store-bought eggs are likely eating some corn feed. My solution? I have my own chickens who lay great Omega-3 eggs. My chickens eat what I eat because I "slop" them with my leftovers. I also feed them grass clippings, expiring produce (they love jicama and any kind of greens). I also have an herb garden that seems to have way too much oregano, mint and parsley. So I uproot volunteers and feed them to my chickens. I usually have four or five chickens and they lay an egg a day each. If you don't wash the eggs until you use them, they stay fresh for months in the fridge. Really!
Another way to ensure your getting the best ingredients is to garden. If you have the space, you can grow your own greens, herbs, Brussels sprouts (these need a long growing season), broccoli, radishes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, berries, and more. My garden is about 25' x 4' and you'd be surprised what's crammed in there. I control bugs with citronella spray and encourage pollination with marigolds. Gardening is fun and rewarding because you can just go out and pick your ingredients when you need them. It's also fun to graze. It doesn't get any fresher than that!
Demand More from Your Neighborhood Grocer
Chances are, you're not alone in your quest for LFG foods.
If you think you're the only one in your neighborhood eating this way, think again. If your neighborhood grocer hasn't caught on yet, maybe it's because your wheels aren't squeaky enough. I ask my grocer to order things quite often, and they usually are very accommodating. Have them order a case of something, and buy the whole case. If they get enough requests for the same items, they'll start carrying more of the items you want on a regular basis.
Shop Online for Ingredients You Can't Find at the Store
Thrive Market is a membership online food site that has a lot of what I want for LFG cooking. They have decent everyday prices, but their "Deals" are usually deeply discounted. You can shop a number of ways by aisle, by diet, by best sellers. Obtain a sign in and browse for free. I filled up my cart with specialty baking items and lectin-friendly meats, but I didn't check out. Shortly thereafter, I got an email offering a 30% discount off my first order (on top of the already discounted items). This triggered a 30-day free trial to make sure I really wanted to commit to an annual membership. I'll let you know.
LFG ingredients are important for making delicious gourmet foods that are low in lectins. Knowing how to get your ingredients is half the battle. This is where I hope my recipes will help.